SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The 21^st Annual A. Gary Anderson Memorial Golf Classic was held Monday, June 10, at the Victoria Club in Riverside, California, and the generous donations brought the total to $5.5 million raised since the 1^st year of the tournament.

The largest annual fundraiser for Children’s Fund, this event’s co-title sponsors were the A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation and Diversified Pacific Opportunity Fund, and the event sponsor was Young Homes. Scores of golf sponsors filled the banquet room to listen to the guest speaker, Dr. Amy Young, associate medical director of the division of forensic pediatrics of Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital and associate medical director of the Children’s Assessment Center (CAC) in San Bernardino.  This Center is a special project for which Children’s Fund provides ongoing support.

San Bernardino County’s district attorney, Michael Ramos, introduced Dr. Young, explaining how important the CAC is in helping protect severely abused and neglected children in San Bernardino County.  Dr. Young has been with the Assessment Center since 2005, and is certified with the American Board of Pediatrics in Child Abuse.  She acknowledged the importance of Children’s Fund who has helped raise essential funds for the Center, which will be moving to a much larger facility this fall.  There, more children will be able to receive life-saving intervention from all of the partners on site.

In addition to raising money for the CAC, Children’s Fund works with social workers and case managers to give emergency assistance to at-risk children.  “We remain committed to serving as a safety net, providing basic necessities during critical times of need,” explains Erin Phillips, president & CEO of Children’s Fund.  “This might be a bed so that a child does not have to sleep on the floor, or new clothing because their clothes are needed for evidence, or assistance with rent or utilities so that the family can remain in their home.  And, we could not provide this without your substantial contributions.  It is because of you that we helped 43,000 children this past year in our local communities, where one in four children live in poverty.”

“I cannot say thank you enough.  Thank you, thank you on behalf of the children whose lives and futures you are changing,” exclaimed Phillips.  “We are grateful for all that has been donated, knowing that there is still so much more that we can do together.”

Created in 1986, Children’s Fund is a non-profit whose mission is to prevent child abuse in our community; to ensure that at-risk children who are abused, neglected, impoverished, or abandoned receive adequate food, shelter, clothing, medical care and education; and to provide equal opportunity for social development for these children.  For more information on Children’s Fund or to learn how you can give a child hope for brighter tomorrows by making a donation, go to www.childrensfundonline.org or call 909.379.0000.  Follow us on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/W4Wymf